Planning & Delivering ComprehensionMini-Lessons All Year Long

Planning & Delivering ComprehensionMini-Lessons All Year Long

Planning & Delivering Comprehension
Mini-Lessons All Year Long

During these two workshops for K-12 teachers, Kristina Smekens shares best-practice instruction for teaching reading comprehension. Whether you attend one day or two, you will leave with loads of strategies and lesson ideas that you can begin using in your own classroom right away.

Why learn more about Comprehension Mini-Lessons?

When teaching reading, the focus should not be on the picture book, the textbook chapter, or the novel. The text is merely a tool. Simply reading a text and talking about its details isn’t teaching reading. Rather, precious classroom time must be spent on explicit lessons that teach students six ways to think about texts.

Retell a text’s relevant details and summarize its important highlights.

Determine an author’s main idea and reason for writing.

Visualize an author’s ideas to deepen understanding.

Ask questions of a text, make predictions about the ideas, and evaluate effectiveness of the author.

Use background knowledge to draw important comparisons and make bigger connections.

Synthesize learning, thinking far beyond what a text says and considering what it means and why it matters.

Deliberate instruction on each of the above is imperative. However, a single unit will not be enough. Rather, readers need to spiral through these strategies in several smaller units in order to construct a scaffold of understanding. This allows strategies to be introduced, studied, extended, and deepened throughout the year.

Testimonials

“I love all of the aha moments that I have during the presentations--everything makes sense. Brilliant! Your energy and enthusiasm make your audience hang on your every word--Incredible!”Candy Kramer, principal at Sward School, Oak Lawn, IL

“I love the way Kristina presents the information with so much enthusiasm. It's new info every year without throwing out what we've learned in the past. I love how she builds on what she's taught before.” Kristen Smith, teacher at Gilmer County High School, Glenville, WV

"Kristina is amazing! I laughed out loud! A conference I actually enjoyed." Brad Smith, teacher at Career Academy at South Bend, South Bend, IN

"I have never felt better after leaving a workshop and knowing that I can implement lessons right away. It was fabulous and I look forward to more workshops." Liz Damron, teacher at Westfall High School, Williamsport, OH

Graduate Credit

Earn 3 hours of graduate credit for $375. Attendees may apply the 10.5 hours of training earned during the two Comprehension Mini-Lesson workshops toward graduate-level credit from Midwest Teachers Institute (MTI). Graduate credit hours are for non-degree credits which are designed for professional certification renewals and salary step increases. (Check with your district for approval prior to making a commitment.) Attendance at both days of this workshop, plus additional coursework related to the workshops, is required for credit. Course syllabus: MTI 508.

Registration information will be shared during the 10 a.m. break of each workshop. After the workshop, attendees have two weeks to apply their training hours to the program. The cost of graduate credit is separate from the cost of attending a workshop.

Certified educators can earn professional growth credits for attending a Smekens Education workshop. All workshop attendees receive a certificate of participation for 5.5 hours of professional development for each one-day workshop. Visit our Continuing Education Credit page to learn more.

Illinois-Specific Credit

As an approved professional development subcontractor, Smekens Education is happy to provide all Illinois teachers with state-approved professional development credit for attending the Planning & Delivering Comprehension Mini-Lessons All Year Long workshop.